Lesson Title - Second Grade Word Jar

Contributor - Sharon Fairbanks

Essential Reading Element - Vocabulary

Objective(s) - My objective is to give children ownership and motivation for learning new word meanings.  A secondary objective is to teach children that learning new vocabulary words can be exciting and interesting.

Procedure -  Students in class begin studying words and definitions three weeks into the second grade year.  The core reading series shows how to look for the meaning of words by looking at the context, apposition and syntax.  Synonyms and antonyms associations are paired with individual vocabulary words to encourage understanding of words and their meanings.  When children work on writing stories, they are also encouraged to use "interesting words" in stories.  Along with this, the introduction of a "word jar" will continue to motivate students to look for words and their meanings.  The teacher reads MAX'S WORDS by Kate Banks and DONAVAN'S WORD JAR by Monalisa DeGross. A letter is sent home with the Homework Folder asking students to look for "interesting, exciting words."  On the letter is are rectangular boxes for the children to cut out, write the word, and the definition.  Additionally, the student is asked to use it in a sentence.  The teacher then brings a huge plastic jar to school for the student to decorate and have available when the children brings the slips of papers to school.  On the students' weekly HOMEWORK CALENDAR, the teacher will remind students to continue to search for top-knotch vocabulary words to add to the jar.  When the jar begins to fill, the students and teacher can call a spontaneous or planned "word party."  Students can pull out words and use them in sentences with each other. 

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